An Investigation of the Correspondence between Results of Contingency Space Analysis and Intervention Effects for Addressing Interfering Behavior of Middle-School Youth

• Published in: Behavior analysis in practice Vol. 15; no. 3; pp. 753 - 767
• Main Authors: Quade, Meredith M., Unholz-Bowden, Emily, Xiong, Ellina, McComas, Jennifer J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cham Springer International Publishing 01.09.2022; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Behavioral Science and Psychology; Intervention; Psychology; Research Article; Students; functional behavioral assessment; contingency space analysis; interfering behavior; school; descriptive assessment
• ISSN: 1998-1929; 2196-8934
• DOI: 10.1007/s40617-021-00641-0

The literature provides various tools for identifying successful interventions for interfering behavior of individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities, yet less literature is available pertaining to students who do not have cognitive impairments. The purpose of the current study was to investigate the correspondence between the results of contingency space analyses (CSA) and interventions for four middle-school boys who engaged in interfering behavior. Researchers directly observed natural interactions between each student, his teacher, and peers during three baseline sessions. The students’ teacher then implemented three intervention conditions. Using direct observation data, researchers conducted a CSA of the baseline data and determined the natural contingencies between student behavior and social consequences. The results of the CSAs were then compared to the effects of the intervention conditions. For three students, results of the CSA were consistent with results of the intervention analysis. Results provide preliminary support for the CSA as a tool for identifying hypothesis-based interventions.